India to spend $600 million on internal security

India will spend over $600 million this fiscal on paramilitary forces modernization and on strengthening border security. Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced this as part of his budget proposals for the current financial year ending March 2010.

The focus on internal security which happened after the November 2008 attack on Mumbai allegedly by Islamic terrorists, has led to an immediate raising the strength of India’s elite’ commando force, the NSG. From an earlier base in Delhi alone, NSG contingents will now be based in Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai as well.

Other plans, including improving surveillance, intelligence gathering, border security and maritime security are being implemented in an accelerated manner.

Of the estimated $600 million, $143 million dollars will be for the paramilitary forces modernization and $456 million for border security during the current fiscal year. "Significant augmentation in the strength of the paramilitary forces is being done," Mukherjee said, adding the government will build 100,000 houses for troopers to "boost morale".

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that the security modernisation programme was crucial to the unhindered development of India which is Asia's third largest economy. "Law and order is a pre-requisite to sustainable development... so the modernisation of our intelligence is a must," Singh told India state-owned television after the budget announcement.

Indian internal security forces will need to leapfrog several generations to match the equipment levels which some of the advanced economies have. Given the seriousness of the terrorist and internal security threats to India, this is being treated by the government on priority.